Primary Well Cementing With Downhole Mixed Epoxy

ABSTRACT

A two part epoxy resin system is mixed downhole in a method of primary cementing a well. Using this two part epoxy resin and activator system, one of the components is first placed in the annulus of the well at the desired plugging depth. Next, the other component is placed in the annulus above the first placed component. Densities of the components have been selected such that the density of the second placed component is sufficiently higher then the density of the first placed component to facilitate gravity mixing of the two components as the second placed component moves through the first placed component and in the process activation occurs.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/162,446, filed Sep. 9, 2005, herein incorporated by reference, whichapplication claimed priority/benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. Nos. 60/608,255, 60/608,256, and 60/608,257, all filedSep. 9, 2004, and all herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wells, drilling wells, well operations,to methods, apparatus and products for drilling wells. In anotheraspect, the present invention relates to wells, cementing wells, and tomethods, apparatus and products for cementing wells. In even anotheraspect, the present invention relates to wells, primary cementing wells,and to methods, apparatus and products for primary cementing wells.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

In the drilling and completion of an oil or gas well, a primarycementing composition is often introduced in the well bore for cementingpipe string or casing in a process known as primary cementing. Inprimary cementing, a cementing composition is pumped into the annularspace between the walls of the well bore and the casing. The cementingcomposition sets in the annular space, supporting and positioning thecasing, and forming a substantially impermeable barrier/mass or cementsheath. An essential function of cementing is to prevent fluid exchangebetween the different formation layers through which the hole passes andto control the ingress of fluid into the well, in particular to limitthe ingress of water. In production zones, the casing, the cement andthe formation are all perforated over depth of a few centimeters.

A variety of primary cementing compositions exist in the art and havebeen used for primary cementing. Considerations for selecting acementing composition include relatively short term concerns, such asset times for the cement slurry, as well as functional and long termconcerns such as whether a composition is environmentally acceptable,easily mixable, non-settling under static and dynamic conditions, willdevelop near one hundred percent placement in the annular space, resistfluid influx, and have the desired density, thickening time, set uptime, fluid loss, strength development, and zero free water.

A number of patents and patent applications are directed to primarycementing wells, the following of which are only a small few.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,593, issued Sep. 6, 1988, to Novak discloses Thisapplication discloses a process for drilling and primary cementing awell using a drilling fluid containing a polymeric material which may becemented into a well cement by irradiation with a suitable radioactivesource

U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,203, issued Sep. 29, 1992, to Riley et al.,discloses a composition for and method of performing primary cementingoperations. The method comprises the use of a water slurry of athixotropic cementing composition which rapidly develops sufficientstatic gel strength to reduce if not eliminate annular gas migration.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,969, issued Jul. 12, 1994, to Sabins et al.,discloses a method of preventing gas migration during primary wellcementing. The method basically comprises the steps of displacing acement slurry into the annulus between a string of pipe to be cementedin a well bore and the walls of the well bore, determining the initialsurface pressure in the pipe after the cement slurry is placed in theannulus, displacing additional cement slurry into the annulus as isnecessary to make up for losses in the surface pressure due to cementslurry gel strength development and volume reduction whereby the surfacepressure is maintained substantially equal to the initial surfacepressure until the cement slurry develops a predetermined gel strengthsufficient by itself to prevent gas migration, and then allowing thecement slurry to set into a hard impermeable mass in the annulus.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,950, issued Sep. 6, 1994 to Hale et al., disclosesAn extended reach well such as the deviated wells typically drilled fromoffshore platforms is drilled using a drilling fluid comprising blastfurnace slag and water which drilling fluid is circulated during thedrilling to lay down a filter cake. Thereafter, an activator is addedand generally, an alkaline material and additional blast furnace slag,to produce a cementitious slurry which is passed down a casing and upinto an annulus to effect primary cementing.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,951, issued Sep. 6, 1994 to Cowan et al., disclosesa slim hole well drilled using a drilling fluid comprising blast furnaceslag and water which drilling fluid is circulated during the drilling tolay down a filter cake. Thereafter, an activator is added and generally,an alkaline material and additional blast furnace slag, to produce acementitious slurry which is passed down a casing and up into an annulusto effect primary cementing.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,185, issued Dec. 6, 1994 to Cowan et al., acementitious slurry produced by combining an aqueous drilling fluid witha slurry of Portland cement in oil. Generally the drilling fluid is anaqueous drilling fluid containing clay such as prehydrated bentonite.The resulting composition has a particular utility in primary cementingoperations for oil wells.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,523, issued Nov. 3, 1998 to Sabins et al., disclosesprimary well cementing methods and apparatus. The methods basicallycomprise the steps of releasing a displacement plug into the casing tobe cemented and pumping a first displacement fluid behind thedisplacement plug while measuring the quantity of the first displacementfluid required to land the displacement plug on a float collar or thelike connected near the bottom of the casing, releasing a bottomcementing plug into the casing and pumping a cement slurry behind thebottom cementing plug in a predetermined quantity and then releasing atop cementing plug into the casing and pumping a second displacementfluid behind the top cementing plug in a quantity substantially equal tothe measured quantity of the first displacement fluid thereby ensuringthat the cement slurry is not under or over displaced in the annulusbetween the casing and the well bore.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,539, issued May 23, 2000 to Noik et al., discloses amethod of cementing a casing in a well drilled in the ground comprisesinjecting a liquid material comprising phenol-formol resin from thesurface, wherein the resin is modified by means of a determined amountof furfuryl alcohol, and an amount of mineral filler unreactive towardsthe resin is added. The invention further relates to a thermosettingcementing material comprising phenol-formol resin. The resin is modifiedby means of an amount of furfuryl alcohol and comprises at least aproportion of an unreactive granular filler.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,991, issued Sep. 30, 2003 to Drochon et al.,discloses a cement slurry for cementing an oil well or the like, theslurry having a density lying in the range 0.9 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.3g/cm.sup.3, and being constituted by a solid fraction and a liquidfraction, having porosity (volume ratio of liquid fraction over solidfraction) lying in the range 38% to 50%. The solid fraction isconstitued by a mixture of lightweight particles, microcement andoptionally portland cement and gypsum. Such cements have remarkablemechanical properties due to their very low porosity in spite of havingvery low density.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,237, issued Aug. 17, 2004 to Dao et al., discloseslightweight cement compositions and methods of cementing a subterraneanzone penetrated by a well bore utilizing the compositions are provided.A lightweight cement composition of the invention is basically comprisedof a coarse particulate hydraulic cement, an ultrafine particulatehydraulic cement mixture comprised of slag cement and a Portland orequivalent cement, fly ash, fumed silica, hollow glass spheres andwater.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,730, issued Sep. 21, 2004 to Reddy et al., disclosesmethods for cementing. The methods are basically comprised of the stepsof preparing a cement composition comprised of hydraulic cement, water,gas, surfactants, a cement early strength accelerator and a mildly setretarding cement dispersing agent, placing the cement composition in theannulus between the casing string and the well bore and allowing thecement composition to set into a hard impermeable mass. The cementcomposition used can alternatively comprise hydraulic cement, a waterreducing additive, a dispersing additive, a set accelerating additiveand water. Also, the cement composition can be made environmentallybenign by using water reducing and dispersing additives, set retardingadditives, and compressive strength and set accelerating additives whichare environmentally degradable.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,814, issued May 17, 2005, to Heathman et al.,discloses cement comprising barite, a process for preparing such cement,and methods of cementing in a subterranean formation or well bore usingsuch cement are provided. The cement is prepared by introducing coarsebarite to the cement, the course barite comprising particles having aparticle size primarily greater than about 125 microns. Preferably, 90percent of the barite particles is greater than about 125 microns insize. The presence of the coarse barite in the cement causes the cementto have a relatively low viscosity. Introducing the barite to the cementalso increases the density of the cement, thus rendering the cementcapable of controlling high hydrostatic pressures in a well bore.

In spite of the advances in the prior art, conventional cement systemssuffer from a 6 hour safety margin to dump the slurry; long set times;low shear bond values; long cement lengths, and long wait on cement(WOC) times causing high expense.

Thus, there still exists a need in the art for improved methods,apparatus and products for primary cementing wells.

There also exists a need in the art for improved methods, apparatus andproducts for primary cementing operations of wells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provideda well comprising a well bore and a pipe residing in said well boreforming an annulus between the pipe and well bore; a first componentresiding in the annulus; and, a second component having a densitygreater than the density of the first component, and positioned residingin the annulus at a point above the first component that will allow forgravity flow of the second component down into the first component. Thefirst and second components are selected from a two component polymericcementing system, preferably an epoxy system.

According to even another embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided a method of conducting primary cementing operations on a well,said well comprising a well bore and a pipe residing in said well boreforming an annulus between the pipe and well bore. The method includesproviding a two component polymeric cementing system, preferably anepoxy system, each component having a density greater than the densityof any well fluid residing in the well. The method also includesselecting a first component and a second component from the groupconsisting of the polymeric component and the activator component,wherein the first component and the second component are different, andthe density of the second component is higher than the density of thefirst component. The method even further includes placing the firstcomponent in the annulus. The method still further includes placing thesecond component in the annulus at a point above the first componentthat will allow for gravity flow of the second component down intocontact with the first component.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided a method of primary cementing a well comprising a well bore anda pipe residing in said well bore forming an annulus between the pipeand well bore. The method includes providing a two component polymericcementing system, each component having a density greater than thedensity of any well fluid residing in the well. The method also includesselecting a first component and a second component from the groupconsisting of the polymeric component and the activator component, mostpreferably from an epoxy system comprising a resin component andactivator component, wherein the first component and the secondcomponent are different, and the density of the second component ishigher than the density of the first component. The method even furtherincludes placing the first component in the annulus. The method stillfurther includes placing the second component in the annulus at a pointabove the first component that will allow for gravity flow of the secondcomponent down into contact with the first component. The method yetfurther includes allowing the first and second components to gravitycontact and form a hard impermeable mass in the annulus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the practice of present invention, the cementing composition of thepresent invention may be utilized in any known cementing methodincluding any of the primary cementing methods disclosed in any of thereferences cited herein, all of which are herein incorporated byreference. Any known method for placing and/or positioning components ofa cementing composition into an annulus may be used herein, all of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

As used herein, a well generally refers to an underground, substantiallyvertically-extending well comprising a well bore. Generally, after awell bore is drilled during which the drilling fluid used is circulatedthrough the well bore, the circulation of the drilling fluid is stopped,the well is usually logged and a string of pipe often called a casing,is run in the well bore. Generally the casing extends from the groundsurface into the well bore and terminates at a predetermined depth inthe well bore. The outer wall of the casing is generally spaced from theinner wall of the well bore to form an annulus. After the casing is set,the drilling fluid in the well bore is conditioned by circulatingdrilling fluid downwardly through the interior of the pipe and upwardlythrough the annulus between the exterior of the pipe and the walls ofthe well bore while removing drilling solids and gas therefrom. Afterconditioning, both the pipe and annulus are substantially filled withdrilling fluid.

The next operation performed on the well is generally the step ofprimary cementing. By the process of primary cementing a hardimpermeable barrier mass is formed in the annulus. This mass may also bereferred to as a sheath or cement sheath. Primary cementing is carriedout for a number of reasons including to prevent migration of fluids inthe annulus, to support the casing or liner string, and to protect ofthe casing from corrosive formation fluids. Any of the number of methodsknown in the art for placing a cementing composition into an annulus maybe used for the primary cementing compositions and methods of thepresent invention.

In general primary cementing is carried out as follows. Generally inprimary cementing processes the components of a cementing compositionare introduced from a source at the ground surface into the upper end ofthe casing and flow downwardly through the bottom end of the casing. Thecomponents of the cementing composition then flow to the bottom of thewell bore where their flow direction is reversed causing them to flow upthe annulus, thereby placing the components of the cementing compositionin the annulus between the pipe and the walls of the well bore. In theprimary cementing processes of the present invention, the components ofthe cementing composition may be placed into the annulus by any of thenumber of methods known in the art. The flow and addition of thecomponents of the cementing composition is then terminated and thecementing composition is allowed to set into a hard impermeable mass.

The method of the present invention for primary cementing a wellinvolves the use of a two part cementing composition, which isincorporated into known primary cementing methods.

In particular, the two part primary cementing composition of the presentinvention comprises a two polymeric cementing system comprising apolymeric component and an activator component. The polymeric componentwill in the presence of an activator component be set up, reacted,hardened, cured, catalyzed or crosslinked into a cementing plug.

The polymeric component utilized in the present invention may be anymaterial suitable polymeric material for forming a hard impermeable massin the well annulus. Examples of suitable polymeric systems include thatdescribed in the references cited herein, all references of which areherein incorporated by reference. This polymeric component may comprisea thermoplastic or thermoset, that is water soluble or insoluable.Preferably, this polymeric component is an epoxy resin.

In the present invention, the polymeric system not only contains thepolymeric material and activator, but may optionally include additivesto improve thermal stability, control set time, generate expansion, andcontrol fluid loss. The additives may be incorporated into the systemdirectly, or into one or both of the components.

Any suitable polymeric system may be utilized, with epoxy systems beingpreferred. In selecting a suitable polymeric system, it is desired thatthe system exhibit one or more, preferably several if not all, of thefollowing characteristics: liquid system that is solid free, noshrinkage upon set up, maintains (or causes an increase in) the wellholepressure; hydrophobic; density allows it to fall thru the well fluid ata suitable rate; and non-gas generating (so as not to cause microchannels).

As utilized in the present invention, the activator component serves notonly to activate, set up, crosslink and/or cure the polymeric compound,but also to accelerate such, so as to reduce the wait on cement (WOC)time. The activator causes the sealant to set under downhole temperatureand pressure conditions at an accelerated rate. Of course, thisactivator component will have to be carefully selected depending uponthe material utilized as the first component.

In the present invention, accelerated set times are generally less than12 hours, preferably less than 10 hours, more preferably less than 8hours, even more preferably less than 6 hours, still more preferablyless than 4 hours, and yet more preferably less than 2 hours.

The activator will cause the polymeric sealant to set under downholeconditions to cause the sealant to bond to the casing and or otherformation surfaces in the well. The pipe may have coating of oil orwater based drilling mud.

The activator component may be selected to not only accelerate cementset, but may optionally be selected to also alter slurry density, cleandownhole surfaces, and/or improve bond.

The activator will be selected for its known property for acceleratingthe setup, activation, cure, crosslinking, of the polymeric material.For the preferred epoxy resin system, activators for epoxies are wellknown, and any suitable one may be utilized. In many instances pairedresin-activator systems are commercially available.

Examples of commercially available materials follows and possibleformulations follow. All materials are Benchmark. All are manufacturedby Resolution Chemicals. Concetrations are parts by weight.

Materials: Epon 862 or 863-resin, Epicure 3046 low-temp hardener,Epicure W high temp hardener, Heloxy 7-primary reactive diluent, CarDuraE10P-secondary, high-temp diluent. Formulations: (1) 100 Epon 862 or863+17 to 40 Epicure 3046 good 50 F. to 100 F.; (2) 100 Epon 862 or863+20 to 50 parts Heloxy 7+20 to 40 parts Epicure 3046 good 70 F. to125 F.; (3) 100 Epon 862 or 863+20 to 50 parts Heloxy 7+10 to 20 partsEpicure 3046+10 to 20 parts Epicure W good 125 to 175 F.; (4) 100 partsEpon 862 or 863+0 to 50 parts Heloxy 7+17 to 35 parts Epicure W goodfrom 175 to 250 F.; (5) 100 parts Epon 862 o4 863+30 to 50 parts Heloxy7+15 to 25 parts Epicure W+0 to 20 parts CarDura E10P good from 250 t0350 F.

The present invention also contemplates the use of two or more activatorsystems, generally selected to operate at various temperatures to assistin controlling any set, activation, curing, or crosslinking. A blend ofpolymeric material may also be utilized.

The method of the present invention for primary cementing wells,includes any of the known primary cementing methods in which is utilizedthe two component primary cementing composition as the cementingmaterial. While a generalized primary cementing method is describedbelow, it should be understood that any suitable primary cementing as isknown in the art, including any described above in the background ordescribed in any cited reference (all of which are herein incorporatedby reference), may be utilized with the primary cementing composition ofthe present invention.

Generally in the practice of the method of the present invention, one ofthe components is selected as the first placed component and placed inthe annulus, followed by placement of the other component as the secondplaced component in the annulus at a position above the first component,to allow the second component to gravity flow into the first component.

Preferable, in the practice of the present invention, the activatorliquids are heavier than the well fluid and the settable component isheavier than the activator liquid.

Any suitable apparatus and method for the delivery of the components maybe utilized. As non-limiting examples, suitable delivery systems mayutilize a dump bailer, coiled tubing and jointed tubing. They require abase to stack up against such as a packer, petal basket or sand plug.While any suitable delivery mechanism can be utilized, more specificnon-limiting examples of suitable delivery mechanisms include: dumpbailer run on electric line or slick line; pumping through tubing,drillpipe, work strings or any tubulars; allowing fall through fluidsvia gravity; and pumping into an annullas or pipe without displacing(i.e., “bull heading”).

It is crucial that the first and second components have greaterdensities than the well fluid density. It is also crucial that thesecond placed component have a density greater than the first placedcomponent so that the second placed component may displace the firstcomponent.

In some instances the selected first and second components will not havesuitable densities, specifically, the densities of the first and secondcomponents may not be greater than that of the well fluid, or they maynot have the suitable density for the order in which they are desired tobe introduced into the annulus, or the densities may not have a suitableenough differential to achieve suitable displacement.

The present invention provides for the utilization of weighting agentadditives to the first and second components to change the density ofthose components. Suitable additives to change the density include metalsalts, preferably calcium chloride. Other examples of weighting agentsinclude sand, barite, hemitite, calcium carbonate, FeO, MgO, andmanganese ore. Sufficient amounts of the additive are utilized toachieve the desired density.

In the primary cementing method of the present invention first andsecond components are provided which have densities greater than thewell fluid, with the component to be placed second having a greaterdensity than the component to be placed first. Should the density of thefirst or second component need adjustment, a weighting agent asdiscussed above, will be added as necessary. The component with thegreater density is then introduced into the well fluid at a position ontop of sand/petal basket, the other component is then placed above thefirst placed component so that it may spontaneously gravity flow intocontact the first placed fluid. The density difference will allowdisplacement of the first placed fluid by the second placed fluid andallow for in-situ mixing.

It should be appreciated that the rate of displacement and thus in-situmixing will increase with increasing density differential between thefirst and second components, and decrease with decreasing densitydifferential between the first and second components.

It should also be appreciated that at some point, the densitydifferential between the first and second components is so low as toresult in too slow of displacement.

On the other hand, it should further be appreciated that at some point,the density differential between the first and second components is sogreat as to result in too rapid of displacement so as to avoid muchmixing.

Thus, the density differential should be selected so as to provide fastenough displacement for the plugging operation, and to facilitatesufficient in-situ mixing, and this differential can be determined on acase by case basis, for example by observation in clear container andtrial and error.

Typical densities for the well fluid will be in the range of about 8.33ppg up to about 20.0 ppg, with typical densities for the activator inthe range of about 8.33 ppg up to about 21.0 ppg, and with typicaldensities for the sealant system in the range of about 8.54 up to about22.0 ppg.

It should be understood that other well fluid additives as are wellknown in the art may be incorporated into the first and/or secondcomponent, or added before, along with, or after the introduction of thefirst and/or second component, non-limiting examples of which includesurfactants, surface bond enhancers (non-limiting examples includestyrene butadiene latex, polyvinal alcohols, resins, other adhesives),emulsifiers, ph control agents, fluid loss additives, gas preventionadditive, dispersants, expanding agents, and wetting agents.

It should also be understood that the activator viscosity and missablitymuch be such that the activator will not substantially mix with the wellfluid as it passes thru the well fluid. Preferably, the activatorviscosity and missablity much be such that the activator will mixes lessthan 20% with the well fluid as it falls through it, more preferablyless than 10%, and even more preferably less than 2%.

It should be further understood that activator and sealant viscositiesand missibility are such that the activator mixes less than 40% with thesealant as they contact each other, preferably less then 20%, morepreferably less than 10%, and even more preferably less than 5%.

Although the present invention has been illustrated by preferredreference to epoxy systems, it should be understood that any primarycementing composition having two or more components can be utilized inthe present invention.

All materials cited herein, including but not limited to any citedpatents, publications, articles, books, journals, brochures, are hereinincorporated by reference.

While the illustrative embodiments of the invention have been describedwith particularity, it will be understood that various othermodifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claimsappended hereto be limited to the examples and descriptions set forthherein but rather that the claims be construed as encompassing all thefeatures of patentable novelty which reside in the present invention,including all features which would be treated as equivalents thereof bythose skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

1. A method of primary cementing a well comprising a well bore and apipe residing in the well bore forming an annulus between the pipe andwell bore, the method comprising: (A) providing a epoxy resin componentand an activator component, each having a density greater than thedensity of the well fluid; (B) selecting a first component and a secondcomponent from the group consisting of the epoxy resin component and theactivator component, wherein the first component and the secondcomponent are different, and the density of the second component ishigher than the density of the first component; (C) placing the firstcomponent in the annulus; (D) placing the second component in theannulus at a point above the first component that will allow for gravityflow of the second component down into contact with the first component.2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (C) and (D) are carried oututilizing one or more of a dump bailer; pumping through tubing,drillpipe, work strings or tubulars; gravity flow; and bull heading. 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the first component is the resincomponent, and the second component is the activator component.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the second component is the resin component,and the first component is the activator component.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the well fluid density is in the range of about 8.33ppg up to about 20.0 ppg, the activator density is in the range of about8.33 ppg up to about 21.0 ppg, and the resin density is in the range ofabout 8.54 up to about 22.0 ppg.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein theactivator mixes with less than 2 percent with the well fluid, and theactivator mixes with less than 20% with the resin.
 7. A method ofprimary cementing a well comprising a well bore and a pipe residing inthe well bore forming an annulus between the pipe and well bore, themethod comprising: (A) providing a epoxy resin component and anactivator component, each having a density greater than the density ofthe well fluid; (B) selecting a first component and a second componentfrom the group consisting of the resin component and the activatorcomponent, wherein the first component and the second component aredifferent, and the density of the second component is higher than thedensity of the first component; (C) placing the first component in theannulus; (D) placing the second component in the annulus at a pointabove the first component that will allow for gravity flow of the secondcomponent down into the first component; and (E) allowing the first andsecond components to gravity contact and form a hard impermeable mass.8. The method of claim 7, wherein steps (C) and (D) are carried oututilizing one or more of a dump bailer; pumping through tubing,drillpipe, work strings or tubulars; gravity flow; and bull heading. 9.The method of claim 7, wherein the first component is the resincomponent, and the second component is the activator component.
 10. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the second component is the resin component,and the first component is the activator component.
 11. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the well fluid density is in the range of about 8.33ppg up to about 20.0 ppg, the activator density is in the range of about8.33 ppg up to about 21.0 ppg, and the resin density is in the range ofabout 8.54 up to about 22.0 ppg.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein theactivator mixes with less than 2 percent with the well fluid, and theactivator mixes with less than 20% with the resin.
 13. A cemented wellcomprising: a well bore; a pipe residing in said well bore forming anannulus between said pipe and well bore; a first component residing inthe annulus; and, a second component having a density greater than thedensity of the first component, and residing in the annulus at a pointabove the first component that will allow for gravity flow of the secondcomponent down into the first component, wherein one of the firstcomponent and the second component is a resin component, and the otherof the first component and second component is an activator component.14. A cemented well comprising: a well bore; a pipe residing in saidwell bore forming an annulus between said pipe and well bore; a firstcomponent residing in the annulus; and, a second component having adensity greater than the density of the first component, and in thestate of gravity flowing thru the first component, wherein one of thefirst component and the second component is a resin component, and theother of the first component and second component is an activatorcomponent.